Restored Pictures circa 1920

Top : Jane Carmichael(McPhail) sitting, her daughter Jean & her Grandson, my Grandfather John Paton
Bottom : My grandfather with his Mother Catherine Mills(Carmichael)

McPhail's of The Hamlet of Black Crofts Ardchattan

View looking across Loch Etive at the Hamlet of Black Crofts, Ardchattan, ARG.




Donald McPhail was born in 1791. I'm yet to discover where he was born or who his parents were. His wife, Ann McCallum, was born in 1794. (See Posted pictures of their Gravestone), her parents were Donald McCallum a Mariner and Margaret McColl. After Donald & Ann were married, before 1811 I assume, they had the following LARGE family who were all born in Ardchattan:

1)Mary born 9/11/1811
2)Catherine born 21/10/1818
3)Flory born 16/11/1820
4)John born 1821 / died 22/5/1848
5)Janet born 21/2/1823
6)Sally born 1826
7)***Donald born 5/6/1828 Christened 22/6/1828***
8)Margaret/Peggy born 28/6/1830
9)Elizabeth/Leasy born 25/5/1834 died 27/4/1880

The census records from 1841-1901 continue to show the various family members at the Hamlet of Black Crofts.

Donald McPhail, Agricultural Labourer, b.1828 married Jane MacDougall, (born 1/5/1833 in Culnadulach Muckairn), on Jan 16 1855 in Muckairn, Argyll, Scotland. **As the only other son John Died in 1848 it would appear that Donald and his wife stayed and farmed the rough land at Black Croft and raised the following children:

1)Euphemia born 24/12/1855 Muckairn ARG
2)***Jane born 19/2/1857 Glasgow LNK***

Altho Jane is born 1857 in Glasgow the family in the 1861 census is still shown to be in Ardchattan. In the 1901 Census of Ardchattan Donald McPhail 73, widowed, is still living at the Black Crofts with his sister Margaret.

Jane McPhail would later marry Duncan Carmichael 6/18/1886 St Columba Glasgow LNK.

Ardchattan Kirk, McPhail/McCallum Gravemarker

*Click on Images to Enlarge*

Dugald Carmichael b.1828 & Family

Dugald Carmchael married Margaret McIntosh (b.1830) on Nov 26th 1857 Kilniver & Kimmelford, Argyll, Scotland. They had the following children

1)***Duncan born 26/9/1858 in Kilmore*** (Daddles)
2)Donald born 2/9/1860 in Muckairn
3)Donald born 25/12/1861 in Dalavich
4)Dugald born 10/6/1864 in Dalavich
5)Colin born 11/9/1866 in Dalavich
6)Margaret born 8/11/1868 in Dalavich
7)Catherine born 12/4/1871 in Dalavich

The following is an extract from the 1881 Census. The Carmichaels were at Ardteatle (see map)approx 4.5 km sw of Dalmally on the old Military road to Inveraray. Margaret is already widowed meaning Dugald died between 1871 & 1881. Neither one of the Donald's or Dugald are accounted for in this listing.

1881 Census Glenorchy & Innishail - Psh 512 ED 6 pg 2 - Artittle Bridge.
Margaret CARMICHAEL Head Wdw 51 Crofter b ARL Kilninver
***Duncan CARMICHAEL Son Unm 22 Joiner b ARL Kilmore***
Colin CARMICHAEL Son 14 Scholar b ARL Dalavich
Maggie CARMICHAEL Dau 12 Scholar b ARL Dalavich
Catherine CARMICHAEL Dau 10 Scholar b ARL Dalavich

1881 - Glenorchy & Innishail Psh 512 ED 1 pg 7 - Ardvrecknish [by Portsonachan] Argyll
Margaret McDOUGALL Serv (Head) Unm 40 Dairymaid b ROS Kenmore
Donald CARMICHAEL Serv Unm 19 Cattleman v ARL Dalavich

No sign of a Dugald (jr), of any age b Dalavich, anywhere in Scotland in 1881.

Dugald Carmichael b. 1791

c.1791 Dugald Carmichael is born in Lagganbeg as is I believe his wife Christian Campbell. Lagganbeg is just West of Loch Scammdale and near the sight of a Campbell massacre known as the Barn of Bones (Sabhal nan Cnamh) in Lagganmore. They were married in Oban on the 25th of January 1814 and had the following children :

1) Archibald Carmichael b. Feb 16 1812 in Lagganbeg, Kilbride
2) Alexander Carmichael b. July 18 1814 Oban*
3) John Carmichael b. April 17 1821 Oban
4) Alexander born 1826. Oban
5) ***Dugald Carmichael b. Sept 18 1828 Oban***
6) Dugald b. 1830 in Oban

The family group was living in Oban, on High St. at the time of the 1841 census of Scotland. Dugald Sr. , Archibald and John all listed as Labourer for Occupation. *Alexander b.1814 not shown in the census. All others accounted for.

Carmichael Family Group Picture circa 1920

Top L-R/ Duncan, Annie, Dugald, Jessie, Colin

Bottom L-R/ *Catherine, Jane(McPhail), Jean, Duncan, Meg

*Click Image to Enlarge